Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visit. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we’re bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!

Check our blog every Friday to find out what’s going on… here’s what’s new this week!

These babies will stay in our backup area in the care of our staff. Although our guests won’t be able to see the young, you can see their parents in the front.

Toby is now on exhibit!

Just in time for Independence Day, Toby, the rare blue lobster found off the coast of Maryland last month, went on exhibit in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuaries exhibit at National Aquarium, Washington, DC, this past Tuesday.

Toby just after he passed his exams — ready to move to his new home!

Toby’s peculiar blue hue is said to be a 1-in-2-million exception to the reddish-brown shade of most lobsters. This unique color is a genetic variation that is caused by the lobster producing an excessive amount of a particular protein.